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In Bad Men, Author Roshmila Bhattacharya Uncovers The Human Side Of Bollywood Villains

<em>Bad Men </em>delves into the lives of Bollywood's iconic villains, offering readers a glimpse into the men behind the menacing personas.

Mallik+Thatipalli

Jul 29, 2024

Book cover of Roshmila Bhattacharya's Bad Men.

ROSHMILA BHATTACHARYA celebrated author and film journalist, has an uncanny ability to capture the essence of Bollywood’s most intriguing characters. In her latest book, Bad Men she delves into the lives of Bollywood's iconic villains, offering readers a glimpse into the men behind the menacing personas.

In 2018, shortly after the release of her first book, Bad Man an autobiography of actor Gulshan Grover, Roshmila received a call from her editor at Rupa Publishing, Rudra Narayan Sharma. He proposed a book on Bollywood’s iconic villains, a suggestion she immediately agreed to.

However, as she began drafting a proposal, the author realised the Herculean task ahead of her. "The gallery of rogues is diverse and exhaustive. Whom do I include? Whom do I leave out?" she recalls. After much deliberation, she decided to follow the format of her second book, Matinee Men and focus on 13 khalnayaks many of whom she had interacted with personally during her three-decade career in journalism.

Unveiling the real faces behind Bollywood's villains

Roshmila’s personal anecdotes add a unique flavour to the book. Recalling her early days as a cub reporter with Filmfare she shares a memorable encounter with the popular antagonist of yesteryears, Ranjeet at his farmhouse in Panvel. "My mother had looked somewhat concerned and subtly hinted that I should keep my distance from him," she reminisces. Contrary to his screen persona, Ranjeet turned out to be a gracious host who introduced her to his wife, Aloka, revealing his vegetarian lifestyle and teetotaler habits. "I returned with a very different impression of Ranjeet which hasn’t changed over the years," she notes.

It was the same with the other villains, be it Pran, Ajit, Gulshan Grover or Ashutosh Rana. Bad Men is an attempt to decode the blackguards of Hindi cinema, and reveal the men behind these reel-life monsters.

Selecting the villains to feature in the book was a meticulous process. Roshmila aimed to write about those she had met personally, offering fresh insights into their characters. Her visit to Amrish Puri's Juhu bungalow on his 66th birthday is one such instance. "Within minutes, I was the centre of attention because he thought I looked like one of his nieces," she laughs. His grandson, Vardhan Puri, later shared fascinating details about his dadu including how Mogambo’s maniacal laugh was inspired by a hyena.

What aided the author was the family members of these actors, along with their friends, neighbours and industry colleagues, who shared their memories which helped her immensely in sketching their word portraits. She adds, “Amjad Khan would have remained the cold-hearted Gabbar Singh had his wife Shehla not revealed that he would cry if any of their children were ill or hurt.”

The book also uncovers lesser-known stories, such as actor Jeevan's dedication to his role as Narad Muni, which he played 61 times. "He would give up non-vegetarian food and alcohol a week before shooting and not touch them till the film was complete," Roshmila reveals, citing Jeevan’s son, Kiran Kumar. Kumar himself faced hardships, particularly while filming Khuda Gawah in Nepal, which involved travelling on mules and surviving on limited resources.

The evolution of Bollywood villains

Villains have always added depth to Hindi cinema, creating dramatic conflicts and memorable dialogues. "Would Mr India have been as heroic without Mogambo? Without Kancha Cheena, would Vijay Dinanath Chauhan have breathed fire in Agneepath?" the journalist in her asks rhetorically. These antagonists, with their cult dialogues, have become a part of pop culture.

However, today's villains seem to lack the impact of their predecessors. "I guess because the actors themselves may be far more versatile, bad men today don’t have an image that instills fear as soon as they come on screen," she explains. The distinctive personalities and mannerisms of yesteryear’s villains made their dialogues iconic, a quality that seems to be missing today.

She exclaims, “It’s said that when Pran came on screen children would clap their hands over their eyes and young girls would run away from him at parties. Even the children of his friends thought he was truly a bad man even though he would organise puppet shows for them.”

Writing Bad Men was not without challenges. The Covid-19 pandemic posed significant obstacles, preventing face-to-face meetings and delaying the book's release. Yet, Roshmila adapted, relying on telephonic conversations and updating the book right up to the final editing.

The role of the villain has evolved over the years, with the fear factor significantly diluted. "When there is no confusion between Ram and Raavan, you have the Ramayan. When no character is completely black or white but in an ambiguous grey, you have the Mahabharat" she muses, highlighting the complexity of contemporary storytelling.

Throughout her research, she encountered many surprises, such as discovering actor Ranjeet’s talent as a self-taught artist. "There are several canvases hanging all around his bungalow in Juhu. The walls, floors, and even the ceiling of his cozy den have also been painted by him," she shares.

Reflecting on the book's takeaway, she emphasises, "Don’t brand a person based on the work he does and the way others perceive him. Get to know him better, and you may find he is better than the best." Writing Bad Men has also helped her evolve as a writer, becoming more meticulous in her research and gaining a deeper understanding of Bollywood.

Looking ahead, the author hopes to continue her literary journey with future projects including Matinee Women and publishing her fiction novel.

Roshmila Bhattacharya’s Bad Men is more than just another chronicle of Bollywood’s villains; it’s a demonstration of her dedication to uncovering the human side of these iconic Bollywood characters. Through her engaging storytelling and meticulous research, she invites readers to look beyond the on-screen personas and appreciate the complexity of these fascinating individuals.